BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION MEETING OF STATES PARTIES CONCLUDES IN GENEVA

States Parties to the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) have concluded the 2010 Meeting of States Parties which was held at the United Nations Office at Geneva from 6 to 10 December. This year’s meeting, chaired by Ambassador Pedro Oyarce of Chile, developed and consolidated the work of the Meeting of Experts (23-27 August) in order to promote common understanding and effective action on:

“Provision of assistance and coordination with relevant organizations upon request by any State Party in the case of alleged use of biological or toxin weapons, including improving national capabilities for disease surveillance, detection and diagnosis and public health systems.”

Welcoming the report adopted by the Meeting on 10 December, the Chairman said, “I am convinced that our discussions this week constitute an important step in highlighting the challenges that the international community faces in responding effectively to the alleged use of biological weapons, and in finding ways to overcome these challenges. This document will act as a useful bridge to next year’s Review Conference”. The Chairman went on to say that the work of the Meeting illustrated that “States Parties are very well aware of the threats posed to international security by biological weapons, and realize that this meeting laid the foundations for future elaboration on this important issue.” Many delegations echoed the Chairman’s satisfaction, the delegation of Nigeria, for example, describing the report as “balanced, comprehensive and inclusive”.

On the provision of assistance and coordination with relevant organizations in the case of alleged use of biological or toxin weapons, the Meeting highlighted the importance of pursuing initiatives in the area through effective cooperation and sustainable partnerships. The Meeting underlined the importance of assistance being provided promptly, upon request, to any State Party that had been exposed to a danger as a result of violation of the Convention. As national preparedness contributes to international capabilities, the Meeting recognised the importance of States Parties’ working together to build their national capacities, notably in the area of disease surveillance and detection, including through promoting and facilitating the generation, transfer, and acquisition upon agreed terms, of new knowledge and technologies, consistent with national law and international agreements, as well as of materials and equipment.

The Meeting also stressed the importance of a coordinated government approach in emergency management; addressing the full range of possible implications; establishing clear channels of communication and command; accessing expert advice; training and exercises; adopting a communication strategy; as well as enabling coordination across sectors through the provision of sufficient financing. The Meeting recognised the particular importance of ensuring a coordinated response from the law enforcement and health sectors.

The Meeting discussed arrangements for the Seventh Review Conference of the BWC, which will be held in Geneva in 2011. The Meeting approved the nomination of Ambassador Paul van den IJssel of Netherlands as President of the Seventh Review Conference and decided to hold the Preparatory Committee from 13 to 15 April 2011 and the Review Conference from 5 to 22 December 2011.

More than 450 participants took part in the discussions of the Meeting. In addition to representatives from nearly 100 States Parties to the Convention, participants included observer states, representatives from international organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Interpol, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), and representatives from non-governmental organizations.

This Meeting of States Parties is the last of a four-year intersessional process mandated by the Sixth Review Conference aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Convention and improving its effectiveness as a practical barrier against the development or use of biological weapons.

The Biological Weapons Convention, more formally referred to as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, opened for signature in 1972 and entered into force in 1975. The BWC was the first multilateral disarmament treaty banning an entire category of weapons. It currently has 163 States Parties, with a further 13 states having signed but not yet ratified.


For further information, please contact:

Mr. Richard Lennane
Head, BWC Implementation Support Unit
Tel: +41 (0)22 917 22 30
+41 (0)22 917 22 30
Fax: +41 (0)22 917 04 83
E-mail: rlennane@unog.ch
URL : www.unog.ch/bwc


For use of the information media; not an official record

DC10/049E